Resurrection House
Vineville United Methodist Church, Macon Georgia
To Crown Financial Ministries
I participated in a small group Bible Study during the first quarter of 2005. At that time I was broke, deeply in debt, and was totally ignoring our financial situation and my responsibilities as a husband and father. My loving wife struggled to pay the bills by using credit cards. Things became so bad that the mail was stacked up and we turned the ringer on the phone off so we didn’t have to answer calls from creditors. I will never forget receiving a call from a creditor on Mothers Day as we were leaving for church.
The Bible study was exactly what I needed. God shook me and let me know that it was time to be the man in my family.
It seemed like it was going to hurt at first, but once I started trying to manage things, I became addicted. I started calling creditors, explaining my plans for payment and paying bills as soon as I opened the mail box. My wife and I joke about me being the mail Nazi, because I insist that the mail be given to me first so I can pay the bills as soon as I open them. I literally keep stamps in my check book to pay bills with.
When we studied about Tithing, we committed to doing it even though some weeks all I made was $100. But God took care of us in many ways as I developed obedience for tithing. Today, tithing is as second nature to me as scratching your nose when it itches.
Since taking the study, God has presented many opportunities for me to earn a living and to pay down debt. During the first year I was able to become current on all of our bills and started paying them down one by one. Our tithe that year was over $15,000. In the second year, I was able to pay off all of our unsecured debt which totaled over $70,000 and tithed to the church almost $40,000. I sold a new car and replaced it with one I could pay cash for and now only have a very reasonable mortgage and one car loan. PRAISE GOD!
Prior to taking the Bible study, God starting revealing a ministry he was preparing for me to participate in. Last year, this ministry became reality for our church and is an incredible blessing for all that have been involved. We thank God regularly for preparing this ministry for us. The ministry is called “Resurrection House” and is a building ministry for those who love God and are called to serve Him by helping others who are in need of housing due to impoverished conditions or natural disasters.
http://www.vinevillemethodist.org/resurrection_house
My new friend Jim Whorton, with Crown Financial Ministries, recently asked if the Bible study helped this ministry in any way…..ABSOLUTELY!
Here is how:
- Steady plodding brings prosperity – This taught me to be patient
- God owns everything in Heaven and Earth – All we can give to God is what he has already given us.
God has provided for me in unusual ways and by doing so, He has freed me to have the time to lead the Resurrection House project. I could have never done this before while under the stress and burden of debt.
Thank you Crown Ministries for your obedience and dedication in offering a study that guides people through the Bible to understand God’s principles for stewardship and living, while drawing them closer to God. Praise God!
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